Well you got it right on what they can do! The roosters are no pushover, as I've discovered by having a few other breeds around, this summer. Yet they are not bullies (generally). The hens are the awesome ones, though, they will go for a rooster if he gets too pushy; and WATCH out if she has babies!

hi to all of you nice people! I hope you don´t mind asking this, are this kraienkoppe birds trully game birds? here in nicaragua we have OEG but here they call them epañoles because the original stock came from españa, most of the have a fighting disposition, are your birds that way, or are they melow birds??

The Kraienkoppe (Dutch Twentse Hoen) were used for fighting in Holland, over century ago. But, at least the birds in the US have had much of the "fight" bred out of them. They're no pushover (especially the hens) but they are not bullies either. I have had over 7 roosters running with my flock and only a very occasional spat. But they never go at it very seriously.

This year, when we picked up some Buckeyes, Delawares and Wyandottes, I discovered that, at least while young, the Kraienkoppe cockerels are more dominant. However, once the Delawares got some real size to them, they ruled the roost. It was a relief to put them in the freezer. The Delawares were the bullies of the chicken house.

I too, just noticed that some of those birds on Feathersite were yours - cool to see a "familiar" picture there!

What do you think, if anything, about the Kraienkoppes from Ideal Poultry? This would be for backyard flock only, no showing/breeding. Ideal happens to have many of the breeds we are interested in trying as pullets.

I've been doing as much research as possible, but there is not much out there on this breed. But between your recommendations on the thread about mothering, and Feathersite and Ideal's blurb about them, I am very anxious to add a few Kraienkoppe hens to our flock.

Do you notice a difference in egg-laying between the different colors? It sounds like they are a pretty good layer, anyway, when not brooding.

The Kraienkoppe and the Cubalaya are two breeds we are suddenly very excited about. Oh, and now I will stop pronouncing the breed - Cryin' Cop!

my friend george I am sad to say that here in nicaragua this bloody game is very popular around the country..here this OEG which here are called spaniards because they used to come from spain, these nicaraguan OEG are breed 3 things in mind and 3 things only, they do not care much about the color, but the weight must be right..

the first and most important is a rooster with close to no self preservation instinct(death wish) the second is the ability to sustain a fighting disposition indefinitely and third is stamina, and a rooster without any of this importan things will most likely lose his life...SAD RIGHT?

but I must admit I love the fearless attitud this birds show! I do not breed them in particular, first is because males should not weight more than 3 1/4 pounds and females are not good layers, but boy that attitud is just too cool, even the hens are that way, you can see them sparring every day

Well, the German standard, which Richard translated, states that Kraienkoppe roosters should weight in at least at 5.5 pounds and the hens, at least 4.5 ("Rooster (2.5-3.0 kg), Hen (2.0-2.5 kg)"). So they should be larger than the OEG. My birds are undersized, according to that standard. Though, in speaking with Craig Russell, of the S.P.P.A., I learned that at least some of the Dutch breeders disagree with the German breed goals, believing that the bird should be more "gamey." At any rate, I am selecting for larger birds. But I haven't, and probably won't, make any outcrosses to acheive it. I need to rig something up in order to weigh our birds. I know that a young rooster weighs 2 1/2 pounds when all dressed out for eating and a hen, in the same condition, weighs 2 lbs. This is handy in some ways, as they fit pretty well in our Dutch oven.

Upback, I haven't had an opportunity to compare the different colors for laying ability. Our three Silver duckwing pullets are just starting to lay. Soon, the two with rose combs will be culled.

I know of now one who has stock much better than Ideal Poultry's. Sandhill Preservation was the source for Ideal's stock. They do an admirable job of keeping some very rare breeds alive and available. But they have neither time nor resources to do much work with the Kraienkoppe. I bet Craig Russell's birds are probably the best there are on this side of the Atlantic. But I haven't seen them. Ours are slowly improving. But sometimes we have set backs. In the last year or two, for instance, while selecting for more true black breasted reds, we somehow came up with more white ears than ever! I'm learning. Recently I've come to the conclusion that I'd far rather have birds with proper combs, proper shape and carriage, yellow legs and red ears; than any color! I've just begun selecting for larger egg size, as well.

A year or two ago, I had a little bit of correspondence with someone at Ideal Poultry. This person indicated that they were working on type. The birds I got from them this summer seemed to about fit the norm for birds in this country. I received 4 (one of them dead in the box). Two had rose combs and one had a good walnut comb. In our own flock I consider myself fortunate to get one keeper from every four hatched. I no longer tolerate any rose combs and only allow a white legged hen, for a short while, until I can finish culling roosters. In the coming year I will not keep a bird if it doesn't have bright yellow legs.

I wouldn't shy away from any hatchery birds. Just be prepared to cull and select. The one silver duckwing we're keeping is a very nice bird.

If I recall, Glenn Drowns once mentioned that the Silvers lay a slightly larger egg, on average. None of them are extremely high producers, especially since they sometimes go on "collective strike." But we have plenty of eggs and only occasionally have to pull some out of the freezer to eat.

I've heard a number of people express great interest and love of the Cubalaya breed. It sounds similar to the Krainkoppe. But we have no experience with it.